Sandeshkhali (WB), March 2 Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday criticized the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal over the law and order situation, and alleged that it was sheltering infiltrators.
Addressing a 'Poriborton Yatra' rally in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, the BJP leader also accused the TMC of preparing fake Aadhaar and voter cards for infiltrators and attempting to change the region's demography.
"Mamata Banerjee should be ashamed. Although Bengal has a female CM, cases of rape and torture of women continue," Chouhan said.
He paid tributes to victims of “TMC violence” in Sandeshkhali, which has been rocked by protests ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections over alleged atrocities on women.
Chouhan said, "The soil of Bengal has been my inspiration all through my life. But Bengal, under the rule of Mamata Banerjee, has turned into a land of lawlessness... Women and our daughters are not safe here. Students are not safe in colleges, and doctors are unsafe inside hospitals. Mamata Banerjee remained seated even after seeing women being tortured.”
He was referring to the rape-murder incident inside north Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024, and the rape inside South Calcutta Law College in June last year.
Chouhan also accused the TMC of aiding infiltrators from Bangladesh.
"The TMC is preparing Aadhaar, identity cards, and voter cards for them, and enrolling their names in government schemes. In this way, the TMC syndicate is working to change the demography of this region," he said.
He warned that infiltrators were taking over land and jobs, and expressed concern over the future of Bengal's youth.
Criticizing the state government on border security, Chouhan said, "The Bengal government under TMC is not providing land to put up a fence on the Indo-Bangladesh border to stop infiltrators."
The union minister also promised strict action if the BJP came to power in Bengal.
"Let the BJP form the next government in Bengal, I assure you all infiltrators will be identified and pushed out of Bengal's soil. We should come together and unite to ensure that TMC does not return to power. We should put the goons behind bars," he said.
Accusing the TMC of corruption and misgovernance, Chouhan said, “The TMC stands for terror. It has turned democracy into a mockery and politics into everyday bloodshed.”
Bengal was first bifurcated by Lord Curzon in 1905 and then by Mohammed Ali Jinnah for the second time, he said, adding: “Mamata Didi, you are committing the same sin of dividing the state."
On women's empowerment, he promised that after coming to power, the BJP will help all women in Bengal become 'Lakhpati Didi' under the Self Help Group scheme, and they will be able to earn one lakh in a year.
The 'Lakhpati Didi' Yojana is a Government of India initiative under the DAY-NRLM scheme aiming to empower women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to earn a sustainable annual household income of Rs 1 lakh or more, with a monthly income of at least Rs 10,000.
The scheme focuses on skill development, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship to uplift rural women.